It has been two years since Stryper's last studio album of all-original material, When We Were Kings (with the Christmas album The Greatest Gift of All coming out last year), so that means it's time for a new Stryper record. Throne of Thorns is the 18th album from the legendary Christian metal group, touting 11 strong tracks ready to rock your speakers. While some of the more recent records felt like copy-and-pasted versions of each other, their latest feels like lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Michael Sweet is pushing the band in a slightly different direction. Some of the elements that were beginning to feel tropey are done away with, and the music, while still familiar, has a tweaked sound and approach to it that gives Throne of Thorns a fresh approach.

One element that stands out immediately is a more thematic approach to the record. Where previous albums felt more like a random assortment of Christian metal songs that touched on the same themes over and over, Throne of Thorns feels more cohesive. The opening title track is an encouragement to the suffering believer, and the other 10 songs stay near that territory in one way or another. "Here in Your Heart" and "Waiting for You" is encouragement from God's perspective. "Falling," "I'm Alright (I'm Okay)," and "Alone Again" come from Sweet's perspective and personalizes the uplifting message. "Carry the Flame" encourages the Christian listener to keep holding to the faith with the closer "Shadowbreaker" turning that into a personal anthem and battle cry. Of course, some of these things have been handled on other Stryper albums, but the way they're arranged here feels more intentional, giving it a cohesive feeling missing on those other works.

The music also feels fresh in certain ways. Yes, it still sounds like Stryper, and some of the melodies and hooks will give fans deja vu. However, there are some differences to be heard. The guitar tone along with the tuning on some of the songs give the guitars a chunkier feel. Speaking of Stryper's main weapons, the solos are given a longer leash, often containing different parts or movements to them. Stryper has always excelled in the music department, and Throne of Thorns is a tour de force. Sweet still shies away from bringing in other stylistic influences, but the overall sound and little tweaks make up for that. This album begs to be cranked to 11 on any speaker it comes through.

Is Throne of Thorns the best Stryper album ever? I can't say definitively, but it certainly is one of their best sounding records. The thematic cohesion helps strengthen it as well. One would think, with all the irons Michael Sweet has in the fire, his creative output would suffer in some way. On the contrary, 2026 has found Sweet in a creatively revived form. Longtime fans of Stryper should check out the band's latest, while newer fans who love some throwback metal should be pleased with what they hear.

- Review date: 9/30/26, written by John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com